Jays’ Bichette, AL batting leader, exits loss with sore knee
TORONTO — Toronto Blue Jays shortstop and American League batting leader Bo Bichette left Monday night’s 4-2 loss to the Baltimore Orioles in the third inning because of a sore right knee.
Bichette hit a two-out single to right field off Orioles right-hander Kyle Gibson and made the turn for second, but started to slow up as he saw Anthony Santander throwing the ball to the infield. Bichette then stopped running and reached for his knee. Shortstop Jorge Mateo came over and tagged Bichette to end the inning.
The Blue Jays said Bichette left the game because of right knee discomfort. After the loss, manager John Schneider said Bichette told him he felt his knee jam while slowing up between first and second after a single.
“We’re still gathering information to see what we’re going to do next,” Schneider said.
Santiago Espinal replaced Bichette and was hitless in three at-bats. He struck out to end the game.
Bichette leads the AL with a .321 batting average. He reached on an infield single in the first and leads the AL with 144 hits. The son of former slugger Dante Bichette has 17 home runs and 59 RBIs in 106 games this season.
A two-time All-Star, the younger Bichette led the AL in hits in 2021 and 2022.
Blue Jays outfielder George Springer, another mainstay at the top of the lineup, was held out of the loss. Springer is hitless in 29 at-bats.
Information from The Associated Press was used in this report.